5 Questions with infamous gay rapper Johnny Dangerous

Johnny Dangerous is more sassy than he is dangerous on a normal day, but put a mic in his hand and he transforms into something like the gay version of Eminem. No one is safe from this Minnesota boy when he's on stage -- not his peers, not the gay media, not even you. This weekend he comes home to play the Hip-Hop Against Homophobia show at the Bedlam on the West Bank (our friends at Culture Bully have the info here), and so we plucked Johnny from a dark alley to ask him a few questions before sending him back to into the depths of Dangerousness.

Gimme Noise: First, the question we always ask, what are your current projects and what are you excited about?

Johnny Dangerous: I just dropped the video for "(Wan Dat) Azz Iz" on the MTV/Logo network, along with a maxi-single of hot dance remixes on iTunes. In addition to performing in Minneapolis this weekend, I'll be in L.A. next weekend playing and promoting the release of "Pick Up The Mic" on DVD. I'm also releasing an R-rated video called "Hotline," with more dance remixes to follow! Check out all the details on www.johnnydangerousworld.com.

GN: Tell us something crazy that happened on one of your infamous video shoots.

JD: Well, during the filming of "Take Your Man" I had to straddle this guy on the bed. We were both wearing underwear, and when I was done grinding and doing my part for the camera, I got up and he had a raging hard-on that popped out of his boxers, along with a single ball! LOL. It was crazy! The whole hetero filming crew really got a kick out of it.

GN: You have MPLS roots. Is that where you first came out?

JD: Yep. I was born and raised in Crystal, Minnesota, a northwestern suburb about 10 minutes from downtown.

GN: You're pretty vocal about homophobia in hip-hop... do you take issue with certain rappers or subgenres?

JD: Rap was (and still is) partially homophobic in nature, from even early on when it began in the 80s. It doesn't really bother me when certain rappers use the word "faggot," because they aren't necessarily talking about a man's sexuality, nor are they speaking directly to me. People invest so much stock into words, I'd rather judge people on what they show me rather than what they say. You can't change other people's minds or their beliefs, but you can offer a different point of view-and it's up to the listener to chose what side of story they'd rather hear about.

GN: Who inspires you most?

JD: I draw inspiration from a little bit of everybody. I listen to some electro artists, other gay hip hop artists... But most of my influence comes from old school hip hop records; Roxanne Shante, Big Daddy Kane, JJ Fad, Salt N Pepa, the Beastie Boys... Music was so much fun back then, and I'm really glad that I don't get burnt out on the nostalgia of it since I listen to it all the time.